


blue to blue

by alessandriana



Category: The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
Genre: Adventure, Other, Pre-OT3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-18 08:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21840982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alessandriana/pseuds/alessandriana
Summary: "This was supposed to be an easy job," Irene said, in what she thought was an admirably even tone. "Practically a vacation, really. Beaches, sun-- a chance to lie under a palm tree and read a good book..."
Relationships: Irene & Kai & Vale
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	blue to blue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elegantstupidity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elegantstupidity/gifts).



"This was supposed to be an easy job," Irene said, in what she thought was an admirably even tone. "Practically a vacation, really. Beaches, sun-- a chance to lie under a palm tree and read a good book..." 

Neither Kai, in dragon form, nor the giant sea serpent with which he was locked in careful combat seemed interested in listening to her complaint.

And Vale just raised an eyebrow at her, and went back to watching the fight through the pair of binoculars he'd pulled from somewhere. 

Irene sighed. 

At least she had the book she'd come for, tucked into the bodice of her dress. 

She was still recovering from frostbite and exhaustion, and when the orders had come from Coppelia the intent behind them had been obvious-- though of course Coppelia would never admit to such a thing. Irene hadn't even had a chance to begin setting up the embassy yet. A mission to retrieve _The Legends and Myths of Hawaii_ \-- a fairly common book across the worlds, but this particular copy had 25 stories instead of the more usual 22. She'd obtained it straight from the library of Queen Lili'uokalani by trading a copy of Mark Twain's novel _Tom Sawyer Adrift_ , written during his second trip to the islands-- a trip he hadn't made on this world. 

It had been _quite_ a good trade, everyone happy all around, and she'd been having a lovely time afterwards discussing literature with the Queen, who was working on her autobiography-- 

\--which was, of course, the moment the Americans had decided to try and overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy. For the fourth time. Or was it the fifth? Maybe that had been the Japanese. Irene was admittedly a bit fuzzy on her history of this part of the world.

In any case, it had all been very dramatic. Irene hadn't been inclined to get involved-- she had enough problems dealing with Fae and Dragon politics without adding local human politics to the mix, especially since she was a visitor-- and anyways, initially the Hawaiians had seemed to have things in hand. But then the Americans had summoned a sea serpent to attack the palace, and Kai had gotten quite offended by that, so she'd made an exception. 

Now she was dirty, sandy, and rather damp, but they'd at least managed to lead the serpent off land and back into the water, closer to Le'ahi crater. 

Kai and the serpent thrashed in the surf, wrapped around each other. Kai was a streak of dark blue ink in the crystal clear water; the sea serpent was flash of silvery scales. Vale, closest to the water, had to retreat hastily as a white-capped wave threatened to swamp his shoes. 

"This might as well be a vacation, for all the good we can do from here," he said with aggravation, peering at the distant figures. 

The sea serpent broke away for a moment and roared, the metal contraption on its brow glinting in the bright sunlight as it bared its teeth. Kai roared in return, voice deeper. The water around him shivered in response to his voice. He didn't use it to attack. Instead, he lashed out a claw and tried to pull the metal off the serpent's head. The creature twisted away, and Kai broke off before his claws could score it across the eyes.

"He's never going to win if he can't bring himself to hurt it," Vale noted. 

Irene grimaced, privately agreeing. "It's a water spirit. He considers it under his protection, even if it _is_ currently being mind controlled." She'd been running through ways she could use the Language to help, but they'd gotten too far from land for her voice to reach. Anything done to the ocean-- such as electrifying the water, which had been her first thought-- would affect Kai as well. And if she tried to get closer, she'd end up crushed or drowned. It was frustrating, and the only reason she wasn't more concerned was that Kai was so clearly holding himself back. 

If there was little Irene could do from this range, there was even less Vale could do, and he'd been watching the fight with the air of a spectator. But all of a sudden he went still and focused, like a hunting dog scenting prey. "Ah- _hah_ ," he murmured. "Irene, look closely at the back of the creature's head-- just where the contraption meets the skull. Tell me what you see." 

She took the glasses from Vale and focused on the spot Vale had indicated, though it was hard with it and Kai thrashing about and the bright sun glinting off the water. The contraption reminded her in some respects of the device the Iron Brotherhood had used, though it wasn't precisely the same. There was some darker metal-- or glass?-- in the spot Vale had indicated, but she couldn't see what was so interesting about it. Except-- was that a faint red flash reflecting from the metal just next to it? It disappeared quickly. 

She watched for a moment more, then blurted, "Lasers. _Optical_ lasers. It's being controlled remotely." In this world, long-distance communication was difficult because radio attracted demonic influence. But lasers were another story. 

Vale nodded; Irene couldn't help but be warmed by his approving look. "Precisely. Which means there must be someone nearby _doing_ the controlling." 

Irene spun in the sand to scan the area behind them. They were on a small beach surrounded by a thick screen of trees and lush green vegetation; beyond them, the massive volcanic crater of Le'ahi soared towards the sky. The laser could have been coming from any part of it. If only there were a way to see it...

Wishing for a megaphone, Irene cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, **"Laser, become visible!"**

Sixty feet above their heads, a thin red line appeared in the air. It was only visible part of the way-- the limits of Irene's voice-- but it was enough to get an approximate vector on the source. Irene traced it back towards the high knife-edged point of the crater. 

She sighed, looking down at her shoes, which had been perfectly suited to meeting a queen, but were less than ideal for climbing. "I really should have brought a change of clothing..."

*** 

"We'll have to go around to the far side," Vale said, as they reached the base of the crater. "There's a tunnel through to the center of the crater, and then a trail that goes to the top of the-- why are you stopping?" 

"It'll take far too long to go around." Irene examined the crater wall, grateful she'd taken the time to study up on her volcanic vocabulary in the Language before the trip. This looked like it had been a tuff cone at one point, though time and age had compacted the ash into something closer to cement. It ascended at an angle rather than straight up and down, which would make this easier. " **Rock and ash, form steps every two feet in a straight line upwards from my position!"**

"Ah. Yes, that will certainly do," Vale said, as a set of rough steps appeared on the crater wall, half staircase and half ladder.

Irene leaned against the rock and passed a hand across her forehead, wiping away the sweat and waiting for her energy to return. Off the beach, it was swelteringly hot, and her clothing was sticking to her skin. She could hear insects buzzing and the distant sound of the surf, and smell the heady floral perfume of the plumeria trees. "Go ahead," she offered, but Vale shook his head. 

So Irene went first, though she had some doubts about Vale's ability to catch her if she fell. It wasn't too bad of a climb in the beginning; the steps were deep and the slope wasn't too bad. They quickly ascended past the tree line, and there was nothing but long dry grass this high, no protection from the sun. The sounds of the fight had faded, though every once in a while Irene could hear a particularly loud roar. 

Then the slope increased, and Irene put her hand out and encountered only bare rock.She craned her neck upwards and winced at the distance they still had to go. "Oh, damn," she said, ignoring the disapproving look she knew she was getting from Vale. "I've reached the top of the steps-- I'm going to have to make some more." She gripped the rock and shoved her feet as far as they'd go into the steps, hoping using the Language wouldn't take too much energy and she'd be able to maintain her grip. 

"Wait just a second," Vale said, and she could hear him continuing to climb. After a moment she felt a hand touch the side of her shoe, and held herself very still as he hauled himself up behind her. Thankfully the steps were fairly wide, and he was able to find space for his hands and feet alongside hers. He continued until he was pressed against her chest to back, arms around her and body keeping her snug against the rock. He tucked his chin over her shoulder and said quietly, "I've got you." 

Irene ducked her head, feeling the blush heat her cheeks as she realized this had been Vale's reasoning for going last. "Thank you," she said, and then repeated her earlier command. 

Using the Language in this world was fairly easy, and the rock had been magma in the relatively recent past and as such remembered what it was like to move, but even so Irene sagged as the energy drained out of her. She would have fallen if Vale hadn't been there. She heard the rock above her shift and flow, and concentrated on holding on. 

"I'm alright," she said after a minute. 

"Give it another moment," Vale said, and didn't let up his support. She could feel it every time he breathed, the steady in and out. 

Irene waited until her muscles finally stopped trembling, and then said more firmly, "We don't have all day." 

Vale moved out of her way without further complaint, and they resumed their climb. 

***

The first thing Irene saw when she got to the top of the ridge-- hauling herself over the edge with a grateful gasp-- was a camera. It was pointed away from them, but as Irene scrambled to her knees, it began to whir and turn their direction. Irene quickly threw herself towards a nearby stunted tree as the camera paused and let off a bright flash. She waited there, panting. 

The camera turned another few degrees, let off a flash, and turned again. Irene waited until it was pointed the other direction and then hissed, "Hurry, Vale!" 

Vale pulled himself over the edge and crossed the distance to her in three quick strides. "Did it spot you?" he asked, ducking down beside her. 

Irene wiggled a hand. "Maybe." A leg, if anything. And cameras in this world weren't as good as their counterparts in those more technologically aligned; it would likely be a still photo, not video, and whoever was monitoring it would need to spot her amongst the rest of the vegetation. But she still didn't like taking the chance. 

The camera had continued its circuit and was turning their way again; Irene said, **"Camera mount, freeze."**

It came to a halt with a satisfying grinding noise. Hopefully whoever was monitoring it would think the mechanism had simply failed. 

Vale walked over to examine it, careful to keep out of its view. "There's a cable leading... that way," he said, pointing up the ridge. 

Irene joined him, letting him follow the cable while she kept an eye on their surroundings. "It can't be far," she said. "They'll need a clear line of sight to the--" 

Irene broke off. She'd caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye, a large shadow flitting across the ground far below. She jerked her chin up-- grabbed Vale's arm-- and began to run. 

The ground shook beneath them as the sea serpent slammed into the ground where they'd just been standing. Irene lost her grip on Vale's arm and went tumbling down the far side of the crater. 

The world spun around her-- dirt-- trees-- sky-- grass-- rocks-- before she came to a halt, rather sooner than she'd expected. She blinked up at the sky, dazed. Long grass waved above her head. She'd fetched up at the bottom of a ravine, some thirty feet down. 

Far too close for comfort, she heard the sound of the sea serpent's breathing. A blast of hot and humid air ruffled the grass at the top of the ridge, and she saw its head peering over the edge, silver scales edged with sunlight and fins dripping seawater. 

Then to her great relief it withdrew with a noise of dislodged rocks, leaving a trail of crushed vegetation in its wake. 

Irene let out the breath she'd been holding, adrenaline draining out of her and leaving her shaky. She pushed herself into a seated position, wincing as every ache and pain sprang into life. She was bruised and bleeding from numerous scrapes, her healing frostbite ached, and her wrist and shoulder were throbbing from where she'd tried to stop her fall, but she didn't think anything was actively broken. Most importantly, the book had survived unharmed.

Belatedly, it occurred to her she could have used the Language to remove the contraption from the sea serpent's head. _Dammit._

Looking around, she saw no sign of Vale. Or, just as concerning, of Kai. 

Where were they? Were they alright?

"Irene!" Still on edge, the whisper startled her badly. She glanced further down the slope, where to her relief Kai was peering at her around a stunted tree. He looked tired but unhurt. Bruises littered his face and arms. While he'd been going easy on the sea serpent, the sea serpent had had no such qualms. 

She slid down the ravine, not quite trusting her legs yet, until she fetched up next to him. Kai reached down a hand and helped her up. "Are you alright?" he asked, keeping an arm around her waist, worried eyes taking in her battered appearance. He cupped her face in his hand and wiped away a streak of blood with his thumb. 

"I didn't think sea serpents could _fly_ ," she said. Then belatedly added, "And yes, I'm fine. Just a little shaken up." 

"Your wrist--" 

"Only sprained, I think." Feeling steadier, she gently disengaged herself from his grip.

"Good. And it's less that this one flew, and more that it used the energy of the water to propel itself through the air--" He caught sight of her glare and flushed, color gracing his high perfect cheekbones. "I apologize. I didn't realize you both were up here, or I would have stopped it. I thought it was finally giving up the fight. Where's Vale?" 

Irene glanced around, but there was still no sign of the detective. Fear curdled in her gut. "I'm not sure-- we got separated when it hit. I hope he isn't hurt." Or that he hadn't been knocked off the _other_ side of the ridge. It was a long drop. 

Kai glanced around, worry furrowing his brows. "I didn't see him when I landed." He added, "Why _did_ you decide to come up here? Last I saw you were on the beach." The word _safely_ was unspoken but implied. 

Irene began to make her way up the side of the ravine, hoping for a better view. "Vale discovered the serpent was being controlled from somewhere up here. It _should_ be nearby, but so far I haven't seen anywhere that seems a likely source." 

Kai brightened at that. "Oh, good." Then his expression turned thoughtful. "When I was coming in to land, I saw something nearby that might have been the roof of a building. Do you think that might be it?" 

Irene blinked, turning to look at him. "Where?" 

Kai pointed further down the inner curve of the crater, slightly off to the right. "Maybe three hundred feet that way." 

Irene nodded. "It's possible." She hesitated for a moment, torn. She wanted to look for Vale-- but preventing the sea serpent from going back to attacking the city was also important. Finally she said, "We'll split up-- you go look for Vale, and I'll take a look at this building." Kai looked like he was about to protest, and Irene held up her hand. "If you get up high, you should be able to spot him better than I can. If he's injured and needs help--" 

Kai subsided reluctantly, and nodded. "Please be careful," he said, and turned to climb the ravine. "I'll put some distance between us before I transform, so they can't track you." 

"Don't bother," a weary voice said. Irene spun to see Vale coming over the top of the ravine. He was limping, and there was a large growing bruise on the side of his face. "Forgive my tardiness," he said, as Irene felt relief flood through her. 

"Vale!" Kai dashed up the ravine to offer Vale an arm; Vale accepted the assistance without protest, and Irene revised her estimation of how he was feeling downwards a notch. "What happened? Where have you been?" 

Vale waved his free hand dismissively. "I ended up quite a ways away, and it took me some time to get my bearings."

_He hit his head and was unconscious for a bit_ , Irene translated. "I'm glad you're alright," she said, climbing to meet him more slowly. "Are you injured?"

"Some cracked ribs, I think, but nothing life-threatening." His eyes scanned her appearance. "Yourself?" 

"Bruises. Nothing worth mentioning." Irene nodded at Kai. "Kai noticed a building earlier. It's not in the right direction, but it's the best lead we have. Are you feeling well enough to check it out?" 

Vale gave her an unimpressed look, and swept a weary hand. "Lead on," he said. 

It didn't take them much time to find the building, not with Kai to guide them. A trail switchbacked towards it from the crater floor, and there was another camera on the edge of the roof. Thankfully it was pointed down at the trail, and didn't seem able to move. 

"The building's not very large," Kai noted, doubtfully. 

Still leaning on him, Vale said, "It's cut back into the crater. See how the back wall is at an angle? It could go on for quite some ways." 

Irene slid down onto the roof, as quietly and as carefully as she could manage it. She could destroy the camera, but that would only alert whoever was inside that they were coming. They'd just have to be careful. Approaching the camera from behind, she ordered again, **"Camera mount, freeze."**

That taken care of, she examined the structure. There appeared to be a blind spot where the camera's field of view was blocked by the lip of the roof-- not very big, but it would have to do. Kai and Vale followed as she dropped down on the left side of the building, where it intersected with the crater wall. Using the building as cover, she slid around to the front. There was a door there, made of thick metal, with a handle but no obvious keyhole. 

She couldn't tell how it was locked, so she chose her words carefully. **"Locks, open. Bolts and bars and seals, be undone."**

That done, she reached out and tried the handle, though her scarred hand twinged with remembered pain. But there were no traps, and nothing happened as the door swung open under her hand.

Vale was right; the building was a facade, and there was nothing beyond the door but a corridor, leading further in. It was lit by dim electric lights set into the walls at regular intervals; thick wires ran between them, leading back along the corridor. The walls had been carved out of the rock by some mechanism Irene didn't recognize; it almost looked like something had taken tiny _bites_ , though surely that was absurd. 

Vale frowned as he entered and ran a hand over the wall, but he didn't say anything, and Kai didn't seem to notice. 

The corridor continued inwards for a ways. The air was cool and damp and soon Irene had to wrap her arms around her middle to keep herself from shivering in her wet clothing. After a few minutes of walking they came to a T-junction. "Which way, Vale?" Irene asked. 

Vale frowned at the floor and paced for a moment, eschewing Kai's assistance. He stopped several times and examined things visible only to him; Irene drifted over to stand behind his shoulder, but could only identify that there had been people walking through. She suppressed a surge of jealousy as he said, "There's three sets of footprints, all male, wearing military-issue boots, and they go both directions nearly equally. But the most recent footprints go to the right, and that's also the side with the better view of Honolulu and the sea." 

"Right it is, then," Irene said, and lead the way. 

A few minutes later there was a quiet skittering noise in the shadows. They all came to a halt, and Irene shared a glance with Kai and Vale-- she knew they were remembering the Countess's rats, too. 

A set of red eyes flashed in the darkness, then blinked out. They waited for a moment, but nothing else happened. 

"It _could_ just be a normal rat," Kai said, sounding as if he doubted his own words. 

"Vale-- do you think you can move a little faster?" Irene asked.

"I'll manage," he said grimly, and he did. 

Twenty feet down the hallway the lights went out, and the sound of skittering returned a hundred fold. Irene spat a word that Vale wouldn't approve of, and ordered, **"Rats, hold still and do not bite!"**

The noise didn't stop. 

"I don't think they're rats," Vale said calmly. 

**"Lights, turn on!"** The lamps flared back into life and revealed an oncoming tide of-- Irene for once didn't have a word for them; _creatures_ was as close as she could manage-- tumbling over each other in a terrifying wave of gleaming copper and brass and _teeth,_ relentless and implacable. Thankfully the light revealed enough of their construction for her to work with, and she'd become quite adept at the vocabulary necessary to manipulate mechanical constructs in this world. 

**"Mechanical teeth, clamp together! Gears and wheels, seize up!"**

The wave came to a crashing stop, creatures tumbling over each other in a cacophony of breaking metal. Irene waited until the noise and movement died down, breathing hard and waiting for her energy to return. A headache pulsed at her temples.

Once the attacking creatures had come to a halt, Kai leaned down and picked up one. It was about the size of his palm, with six legs and massive sharp teeth that looked more than strong enough to, say, bite through stone. It was still twitching fitfully in Kai's hand, malevolent red eyes peering balefully up at them, though its jaws were locked together. Irene shivered. 

"Let's hope that's all of them," Kai said, tossing the creature back onto the pile. 

Another hundred feet, the corridor ended in a room. The door was cracked open a tad, something that looked like sunlight filtering through; Irene let Kai take point. He glanced inside, said, "Oh, damn," and shoved the door the rest of the way open as he rushed in. Irene followed with Vale just behind, to see Kai peering out a small window. Evidently they'd reached the outer wall of the crater. Honolulu was easily visible from their vantage point; so was the sea serpent that had once again begun attacking the city. 

Kai pushed away from the window with a determined look on his face. Irene grabbed him by the arm; he turned with a glare. "We need you to help us here," she said firmly. "It'll be faster to stop it being controlled, rather than running off."

Kai's muscles relaxed under her grip, and he gave a tight nod. 

Other than the window, the room was empty. They split up to search; Irene took the area near the door, Kai wall to the right, and Vale took the far wall with the window. After a moment, Vale said "Irene, can you remove the glass here, please? Quietly?" 

Irene joined him, examining the window. It hadn't been made to open; after a moment's thought, she ordered the window frame to loosen, and with Kai's help she was able to slide it out and set it carefully on the ground, whole. 

Vale leaned out and examined the surroundings. "There's a much larger window that direction," he reported, coming back in to point at the wall to the right. He pressed his ear against the wall. "And I can hear something that sounds like a generator. I do believe we've found the right location. There must be a hidden lock somewhere, if I can just--" 

There were no other locks in here to be affected, Irene noted. **"Lock, unlock. Door, open."**

The wall swung open. 

On the other side, a man scrambled up from a chair in front of the window. He was wearing khaki pants and and white collared shirt with a vest, despite the heat, and had a thick brown beard and mustache. A generator pulsed behind him, attached to a large contraption that was pointing out the open window. A monitor behind him showed a split image of the jungle above and the trail below. He said, in a broad American accent, "What the devil--" 

Then he grabbed the machine pointing out the window and swung it towards them. Irene had a moment to think _It's a communications laser, it can't actually hurt anyone,_ before Kai rammed into her and knocked her to the floor. The laser took out a chunk of wall above her head. 

_Okay, not JUST a communications laser,_ Irene thought, staring up at the smoking path in the wall. **"Laser mirror, shatter!"**

The glass inside the laser shattered in a spray of fragments, peppering the man in the face. He flinched back with a cry, fumbling with something in his pocket. 

Vale stepped behind him and, taking advantage of his distraction, yanked his arms behind his back. A gun clattered onto the floor. The man struggled and managed to jab an elbow into Vale's ribs, and he fell back with a muffled grunt of pain. 

Kai decked the man in the face. 

"Well, that solves that," Irene said, stepping over the stunned man to grab a long cable off the man's workbench. She used it to tie his arms behind his back and his feet together. 

"You won't-- get away with this," he wheezed, struggling ineffectually against his bonds. "The Committee will have the islands eventually!" 

Kai went to stand over him menacingly, and looked to Irene. "Do you mind if I--?" 

Irene waved a hand. "Be my guest." She went over to Vale as Kai gagged the captive, placing a worried hand on his arm. He'd gone white around the mouth, and was clutching his ribs with a tight arm. "Are you alright?" 

"Those are very definitely broken now," he admitted. "But some rest and I'll be fine." 

"Not much of a vacation, I'm afraid," Irene said. 

Vale managed a shrug. "I'm not sure I've ever been on a vacation, but frankly, they sound dull. Being around you, on the other hand..." He fixed her with a dark, warm gaze, and put a hand over hers, "is never boring." 

Irene flushed, recognizing it for the compliment it was. "Er... thank you," she said. And, more firmly, "Kai, _kindly_ stop smirking." 

They spent a few more minutes tidying up the mess. Irene made very sure the laser would never work again. Vale raided the desk drawers for any relevant material on the so-called Committee; they'd deliver it directly to the Queen. Kai finished securing their prisoner, perhaps more thoroughly than warranted. Out the window, the sea serpent had ceased its attack. 

Kai tilted his head. "It says it is feeling much better, and sends its appreciation," he reported, shoulders relaxing. "It's headed back to its home."

Irene stepped over to the window to see it swimming out towards the horizon, a silver streak against the sunset. "I'm glad." Turning, she waved at the prisoner and said, "Kai, would you mind?" 

Kai advanced on him grimly. "Gladly." Hoisting him over his shoulder, he preceded them out the door. 

Irene gave Vale a shoulder to lean on, and together they headed back to the city. 

**Author's Note:**

> Because I spent too much time thinking about this: in this world's version of Hawaii, the population was never killed off by disease, and it left them in a much better place overall to resist the various colonialist types. Which of course didn't stop people from _trying_ to take it over, since it's so strategically located.
> 
> The guy at the end was Sanford Dole, and the Committee referenced was the so-called [Citizen's Committee of Public Safety](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_of_Safety_\(Hawaii\)).
> 
> Title stolen from Emily Dickenson.
> 
> The Brain is deeper than the sea--  
> For-- hold them-- Blue to Blue--  
> The one the other will absorb--  
> As Sponges-- Buckets-- do.


End file.
